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G. B. MARX. BODY FOR MILK WAGONS.

No. 525.106 PatentedAug. 28, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

GEORGEB. MARX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BODY FOR MlLK-WAGONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,106, dated August 28, 1894. Application filed March 7, 1894. Serial No. 502,608. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. MARX, of New York, in the county of New 'York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bodies for Milk- Wagons, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

Thisinvention relates particularly to the construction of the bodies of wagons which are especially intended for carrying milk-cans and it has for its object to prolong the life of such wagon bodies by enabling them to resist the peculiar wear to which they are exposed. The ordinary wholesale milk-can has a chine which by reason of the constant jolting to which the wagon is subjected in driving over paved streets, soon wears into the floor of the wagon body and weakens its timbers. Sometimes fiat strips of iron have been fastened upon the floor boards but these are worn through sooner or later and become very dangerous to the'feet of the person ontering the wagon to handle the cans because of the sharp points which are left to turn up. By this invention the floor timbers are so guarded as to prevent their being cut by the chines of the cans and at the same time it is impossible for the protecting strips to be cut through and turn up.

In the drawings: Figure l is a plan view of a wagon body constructed in accordance with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a section on the line x-.'r of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section.

The frame of the wagon bodyis composed as usual of longitudinal stringers A of wood secured at their ends to end pieces B of wood and united by intermediate cross-bars C of wood which are bolted on the under side of the stringers A.

To the inside edges of the outside stringers A and on each edge of the intermediate stringers are secured the vertically disposed, protecting or guard strips D which are of flat steel and are of such width that the upper edges stand above the stringers. Between the stringers the floor boards E are socured to the cross-bars O, the upper surfaces of the boards standing above the upper edges of the guard strips D. The boards may be sufficiently thick for this purpose or they may rest upon battens F, as shown in Fig. 2. Preferably the boards E are grooved, as at e, e, Fig. 1, to receive the chines of the milkcans, as shown in detail in Fig. 3, to form seats in which the cans will be held. It is not necessary, however, that such grooves be formed as the cans, being set snugly together in the wagon, will in time wear such grooves for themselves. Itis to be noted that whether the grooves are formed in the outset or are formed by the cans thechines will rest upon the edges of the metal strips D and will be held thereby from the upper surface of the stringers A. As the chines 'after a time out into the edges of the strips the bottom of the can will rest upon the floor board and thereby prevent the chine from cutting into the stringers.

The wagon-body constructed as described is not only much more durable than the ordinary wagon bodies used for the particular purpose referred to while being scarcely more expensive, but it reduces considerably the rattling of the cans during transportation and removes entirely the danger to persons and cans from the fiat projecting strips of iron usually employed.

I am aware that wagon bodies have been constructed heretofore with stringers and end pieces of steel and with floor boards laid between the stringers to form a smooth floor, and such construction is doubtless well adapted for very heavy wagons. The frame of my improved wagon body is essentially a wooden frame and is therefore light enough for the special uses referred to. The particular arrangement of the protecting strips, stringers and floor boards is moreover peculiarly adapted to withstand the wear of such special uses, to reduce the clatter, and to prevent injury to cans by their being thrown violently against each other when the wagon is jolted. Furthermore the expense of construction of my wagon body is small as compared with that of' wagon bodies with steel or iron frames.

I claim as my invention- 1. A body for milk-wagons and the like composed of longitudinal stringers of wood,

end-pieces of wood, intermediate cross-bars below the stringers, vertically disposed protecting strips of metal secured to the sides of the stringers with their edges above the stringers, and floor boards laid between the stringers and supported upon the cross-bars with their upper surfaces above the edges of said protecting strips, substantially as shown and described. I

2. A body for milk-wagons and the like composed of longitudinal stringers of wood, end-pieces of wood, intermediate cross-bars below the stringers, vertically disposed protecting strips of metal secured to the sides of the stringers with their edges above the stringers, battens laid upon the cross-bars between 

